Tuesday, April 27, 2021

A Great Night's Sleep

a closeup of Shelley in an ad
for Sealy Posturepedic mattresses, 1973

Shelley appeared on many ads during her tenure as Supermodel in the 1970s. In 1973, she appeared in an ad for Sealy Posturepedic mattresses. The ad said, "You'll be glad you didn't buy an ordinary firm mattress," and, by the look on her face, Shelley seemed to agree. Shelley looked so refreshed in the ad, anybody would just go out and get themselves a Sealy for a great night's sleep.

Shelley in a two-page ad
for Sealy Posturepedic mattress, 1973

Vital, Alive Girl

Shelley in a 1979 promo pic for Charlie's Angels

In 1979, for the 4th season of Charlie's Angels, Shelley was brought in as Angel no.5 (Tiffany Welles) to fill in for Kate Jackson (Sabrina Duncan) who left the series after season 3. Shelley was already famous as Revlon's Charlie perfume Girl and was familiar and loved by many around the world. Everyone was excited to see THE Charlie Girl fight the baddies for The Charles Townsend Detective Agency - most especially her mom, Patricia, who was a former model herself. "Shelley is a vital, alive girl," she told one reporter. "That's why she liked doing those Charlie commercials so much. They showed her vitality," she added. She always knew that Shelley was destined to be a star.

a writeup/tidbit about Shelley, 1979

Women's Apparel

a closeup of Shelley
from a fashion pic for Sears, 1975

Shelley appeared in many catalogs during the 1970s. She started modeling junior fashions but later graduated to fashions for young women. She appeared in catalogs for Sears, JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Spiegel and many others. Catalog work was common among models in the '70s; and many top models, as well as Supermodels, graced the pages of catalogs. Plus, catalog modeling paid much higher fees because of the volume of pictures and the work required.

Shelley in a fashion pic
for the Sears Spring Summer 1975 catalog

From Cutter to Houston

Shelley with Jim Metzler and Alec Baldwin, 1983

Shelley's second TV series was Cutter to Houston. It was about three young doctors with markedly different backgrounds and motives. Shelley, Jim Metzler and Alec Baldwin starred as three young doctors who ran a small hospital in the fictitious Texas small town called Cutter, 60 miles from Houston. When they ran into major medical problems that their local facility couldn't handle, they would contact the Texas Medical Center in Houston via a computer hookup - hence the title. Shelley played Dr. Beth Gilbert, an ambitious surgeon on temporary assignment who aspired to be a heart surgeon in Houston. Jim played Dr. Andy Fenton who grew up in Cutter and was glad to be home. And Alec played Dr. Hal Wexler sent on probation to Cutter for being a little too fast and free with his prescriptions. Originally dubbed as From Cutter to Houston, the "From" was dropped when the series started airing.

a short writeup about Cutter to Houston from 1983

The World Belongs to Charlie 2

Shelley in a 1978 Charlie perfume ad pic

Shelley was THE Charlie perfume Girl. She catapulted herself as well as the brand to worldwide recognition and success. There were others before her, but it was Shelley that captured the imagination of many worldwide. A few months after she began endorsing the brand, it became the no. 1 scent in the entire world. Shelley was (and is) the quintessential Charlie Girl - gorgeous, sexy, young as well as vibrant and confident. She was, and actually still is, an inspiration to many worldwide.

Shelley in a 1978 Charlie perfume ad/contest promo ad

In 1978, Charlie was huge brand name in the world; and in Australia, Charlie launched "The World Belongs To Charlie" competition. "The Charlie Times" was a four-page magazine advertisement for the Charlie brand. It had a story that provided clues to the cut-out answer form/entry form (included in the ad) to be sent in by anyone interested. First prize was a four-week holiday for two in Spain then France. The second prize was a two-week holiday for two in Tahiti. And 200 pairs of Polaroid sunglasses and 300 Charlie gift packs were to be given out as consolation prizes. Kind of Wow, right?

Breakup Episode

Shelley and Tom Mason
in a promo pic for Jack and Mike, 1986

In 1986, Shelley starred as journalist Jackie Shea in her third TV series Jack and Mike opposite Tom Mason who played her restaurateur husband Mike Brennan. The series received lukewarm reviews from critics but had managed to keep decent ratings, so the production kept developing the main characters and coming up with original and more contemporary storylines. In 1987, writers came up with a breakup episode called "Separate Lives" where Mike was unhappy that Jackie was interviewing for a job in New York, and Jackie was upset that Mike's expanding business was taking up all his time. The move  resulted in a rise ratings-wise for the series.

a writeup about Jack and Mike's breakup episode, 1987

Shower of Flowers

a closeup of Shelley from a spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalog spreads throughout her modeling career. She appeared in many catalogs for Sears. In the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog, she appeared in the spread called "Shower of Flowers" which featured a mix-and-match wardrobe set for the young misses of the era.

closeups of Shelley from a spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

She wore all the pieces in the mix-and-match wardrobe set to show readers how many versatile, stylish and contemporary looks they could come up with and create with them. The set included a Jacket, an A-Line Skirt, Straight Leg Pants, Jamaica Shorts and a Shift Dress - all in a cotton floral-printed fabric. A matching Shirt and Pullover top were included in the set for added versatility. Matching footwear was recommended as well. And  of course, Shelley looked sensational in all of them.

Shelley in a spread
for the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Modern Bride '65

a closeup of Shelley the cover of Modern Bride, 1965

Shelley appeared on many magazine covers during her Supermodel tenure. She appeared on the October/November cover of Modern Bride magazine in 1965. Modern Bride magazine is a guide for brides and contains fashion options and information about everything that has to do with weddings, honeymoon destinations and marriage advice. Shelley looked enchanting on the cover.

Shelley on the cover of Modern Bride, 1965

Angel Tiffany

a closeup of Shelley
from a cast pic of Charlie's Angels, 1979

In 1979, Charle's Angels executive producers Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg - along with input from stars Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, selected Shelley Hack to become Charlie's Angel no. 5. She played Tiffany Welles, the daughter of Charlie's childhood friend who became a police chief in Boston. She was introduced in the episode "Love Boat Angels," which was a crossover episode between Charlie's Angels and another Spelling-produced hit The Love Boat. The episode was partially filmed on location in the  U.S. Virgin Islands and had the entire cast of The Love Boat in character as guests. The two-hour episode topped the Nielsen ratings and despite the negative reviews (which the series always got anyway) was predicted to be a big hit in the upcoming television season with the addition of Shelley.

Shelley with Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd
in a cast pic for Charlie's Angels, 1979

That's It, 1977

Shelley in a 1977 commercial for Avon Jewelry

Shelley appeared in many commercials during her tenure as one of the Supermodels of the 1970s. She might be best-known from having appeared in many commercials for Charlie perfume and the Charlie by Revlon brand, but she has also appeared in many other commercials aside from the iconic 1970s beauty brand. Like her fellow Charlie's Angels Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, Shelley too did a lot of those 60-second endorsements in the 1970s. She did commercials for Remington, Alberto-Culver, Avon Jewelry, JCPenney, Ponds and many more.

captures of Shelley in a 1977 commercial for Avon Jewelry

In 1977, Shelley appeared in a commercial for Avon Jewelry. With the catch phrase, "That's it," Avon Jewelry commercial featured accessories which any made any woman's outfit look great. Whether a set of necklaces, a pair of earrings, rings or a bracelet set, Avon brought the right touch to any woman's look. Future actresses Connie Sellecca and Pat Klaus also appeared in the commercial. Watch the Avon commercial at:

Avon Jewelry 1977 Commercial With Connie Sellecca Pat Klous & Shelley Hack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyy0gs2JWQgg

more captures of Shelley
in a 1977 commercial for Avon Jewelry

A Hit in Germany

Shelley on the cover of Bild + Funk, 1988

Shelley's second foray into series TV was Cutter to Houston. It was about three young doctors from the world-famous Texas Medical Center in Houston who were recruited to run a small hospital in the fictional rural town of Cutter, Texas. Shelley played Dr. Beth Gilbert, an ambitious surgeon on temporary assignment in Cutter who aspires to be a heart surgeon in Houston. The series was aired in Germany in 1988 as Die Texas-Klinik (The Texas Clinic) and was a huge hit. Many German-language magazines featured covers and writeups about Shelley in 1988, and one of them was Bild + Funk (Image + Radio). Their August 1988 issue had Shelley on the cover and a promo/writeup called "Drei Ärzte für Texas" inside the mag. Unfortunately, the short run of the series in the US limited the episodes to just nine in total. It left German fans wanting more.

Shelley with Alec Baldwin and Jim Metzler
in a writeup/promo for Cutter to Houston (Die Texas-Klink) 
from Bild + Funk mag, 1988

The World Belongs to Charlie 1

Shelley in a 1978 Charlie perfume ad pic

Shelley was THE Charlie perfume Girl. She catapulted herself as well as the brand to worldwide recognition and success. There were others before her, but it was Shelley that captured the imagination of many worldwide. A few months after she began endorsing the brand, it became the no. 1 scent in the entire world. Shelley was (and is) the quintessential Charlie Girl - gorgeous, sexy, young as well as vibrant and confident. She was, and actually still is, an inspiration to many worldwide.

Shelley in a 1978 Charlie perfume ad/contest promo ad

In 1978, Charlie was huge brand name in the world; and in Australia, Charlie launched "The World Belongs To Charlie" competition. "The Charlie Times" was a four-page magazine advertisement for the Charlie brand. It had a story that provided clues to the cut-out answer form/entry form (included in the ad) to be sent in by anyone interested. First prize was a four-week holiday for two in Spain then France. The second prize was a two-week holiday for two in Tahiti. And 200 pairs of Polaroid sunglasses and 300 Charlie gift packs were to be given out as consolation prizes. Kind of Wow, right?

Title Changes

a closeup of Shelley
from a promo pic for Jack and Mike, 1986

Shelley starred in her third TV series in 1986 Jack and Mike. The series was initially called Jackie O'Shea as it was going to be a star vehicle for Shelley (producer David Gerber wanted to give her her own TV series.) Shelley was going to play the title role, a woman journalist who had a supportive husband waiting at home -  kind of like a reverse gender role thing which was a fresh idea in the 1980s. Gerber contacted Tom Mason to play the husband as he had a good chemistry with Shelley when they played boyfriend/girlfriend in the TV movie Kicks. But Tom wanted the characters to be more equal, so the focus of the series changed from just Jackie to the marriage of Jackie and her husband Mike. It was retitled Our Kind of Town and Jackie's husband was given a bigger role. When it aired, it was again retitled Jack and Mike, with both Shelley and Tom getting equal billing.

a promo for Our Kind of Town
which was eventually retitled Jack and Mike, 1986

Dresses for the Young Miss

closeups of Shelley from a spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalog spreads throughout her modeling career. She appeared in many catalogs for Sears. In the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog, she appeared in the spread which featured dresses for the young miss.

more closeups of Shelley from a spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

She wore the Skimmer, a black shift dress with printed white dots that had lace trim and a back zipper. A contrasting bow with elongated ends embelished the front of the dress. She also wore, the 2-PC Outfit, an orange 2-piece dress with white polka dots. The top had crisp white collars and a button-back. The circle skirt had stay-in box pleats and an elasticized waistband. Shelley looked every inch sensational in both.

Shelley in a spread
for the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Monday, April 5, 2021

1970s Supermodel

a closeup of Shelley from a 1978 ad
for Bobbie Brooks

Shelley Hack was one of the Supermodels of the 1970s, one of the most successful models of the era. In the 1960s, she was discovered at a debutante ball by businessman Huntington Hartford who incidentally was the publisher of Show magazine. After some convincing, she was allowed by her parents to try modeling, her mother being a former Conover model herself. Since she was still in school, Shelley would model during her breaks. "It beat babysitting," she said. After schooling, she modeled full-time (represented by Ford Models, Inc.) In 1976, she jumped to Supermodel status via a Revlon commercial for Charlie Perfume. She was one of first batch of models who were able to negotiate previously unheard of, lucrative and exclusive deals with giant cosmetics companies. She became one of those models whose names became known to the public. In fact, her name would sometimes appear in the ads themselves - like in the Bobbie Brooks ads she did in 1978.

Shelley in a 1978 ad for Bobbie Brooks

OG Christine Sullivan

a closeup of Shelley
from a 1984 cast pic for Night Court

In 1984, Shelley was slated to play public defender Christine Sullivan on the hit sitcom Night Court during its second season. Miss Sullivan was going to be romantically involved with Judge Harry Stone (played by Harry Anderson); and Shelley was delighted with her role. But when the series started shooting, producer Reinhold Weege decided she wasn't right for the part; and so the actress and the producer mutually and amicably agreed to call the whole thing off. "I liked the show. They offered me the role. I went and met with them and liked them," Shelley said. "But what happened was the role was changed somewhere between that meeting and my first day on the set," she added. Markie Post later took over the role of Miss Sullivan.

Shelley in a cast pic for Night Court, 1984

Commercial 1971

Shelley with Bruce Bauer
in a commercial for Breck, 1971

Shelley appeared in many commercials during her tenure as one of the Supermodels of the 1970s. She might be best-known from having appeared in many commercials for Charlie perfume and the Charlie by Revlon brand, but she has also appeared in many other commercials aside from the iconic 1970s beauty brand. Like her fellow Charlie's Angels Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd, Shelley too did a lot of those 60-second endorsements in the 1970s. She did commercials for Remington, Alberto-Culver, Avon Jewelry, JCPenney, Ponds and many more.

captures of Shelley
in a commercial for Breck, 1971

In 1971, Shelley appeared in a commercial for Breck Basic Texturizing Shampoo. It was advertised as a shampoo that could change the texture of the hair. You had to feel it to believe it. It gave the hair new texture, new body, new fullness. It had protein which was advertised as good for the hair. Shelley appeared in the commercial with one of her future co-stars in the Charlie's Angels episode "Toni's Boys" - Bruce Bauer. He was a very busy model himself during the 1970s and had appeared with Shelley in several ad campaigns and fashion spreads. Watch the Breck commercial at:

1971 Breck Basic Texturizing Shampoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWQEJ2Mcf7k

more captures of Shelley
in a commercial for Breck, 1971

A Great Addition

a closeup of Shelley from a 1979 promo pic
for Charlie's Angels

In 1979, during its 4th season, Shelley joined the cast of Charlie's Angels and was a great addition. Season 3 of Charlie's Angels had dramatically slipped in the ratings- from #4 in the 2nd season to #12 in the 3rd season. The HUGE 8-point slip didn't cause too much alarm as the series was still among TVs top 20 shows. Besides, Shelley's addition brought renewed interest in the series. The fact that she was Revlon's Charlie Girl brought in a lot of needed and FREE publicity. Yes, everybody knew THE Charlie Girl and everybody loved THE Charlie Girl - even the show's designer Nolan Miller admitted to that. Her Supermodel status brought a lot of needed attention to the floundering series.

Shelley with Cheryl Ladd and Jaclyn Smith
in a 1979 promo pic for Charlie's Angels

Denim Jacket and Pants Set

a closeup of Shelley from an outtake pic
for a Bobbie Brooks ad, 1972

Shelley appeared in many ads for Bobbie Brooks from the 1960 to the early 1970s. Bobbie Brooks was one of the five largest garment manufacturers in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, specializing in women's garments. Shelley appeared in a 1972 ad that featured the fashion line's new separates collection called Denimites. It was a knit collection with a blue denim look, "duded up with precise detail and surprise touches". Shelley modeled a jacket and pants set over a red and white printed blouse. And Shelley looked dynamite and sensational in it. Check out the ad at Denimites

Shelley in an outtake pic for a Bobbie Brooks ad, 1972

Dinero Encontrado

Shelley in a promo pic for Found Money, 1983

Shelley appeared alongside comedy legends Dick Van Dyke and Sid Caesar in the 1983 TV movie Found Money. The film was about computer expert Max Shepherd (Van Dyke) and security guard Sam Green (Caesar), two former employees of First National Bank who have been let go with little to nil benefits after decades of employment. Max uses his computer skills to create an account in the bank using the money from inactive accounts that are automatically transferred to the state when not claimed after five years. Using the name Seymour Good, head of The Invisible Friend Inc., he transfers the money instead to accounts of ordinary citizens who bring kindness to the world - starting with $10,000 in Sam's account. After some convincing, Sam joins Max in his quest. As good Samaritans begin receiving the money, the story is picked up by the press and is covered by reporter Leslie Phillips (Shelley Hack) who becomes Max's love interest. The TV movie was translated to Spanish and was called Dinero Encontrado.

Shelley and Dick Van Dyke
in a Spanish-language promo writeup
for Found Money (Dinero Encontrado), 1983

Party Goers 1967

closeup of Shelley from a spread
for Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog

Shelley appeared in many catalog spreads throughout her modeling career. She appeared in many catalogs for Sears. In the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog, she appeared in the spread called "Party Goers," which featured knee-length dresses - the more desirable length at the time for fashionable young ladies to wear on evening events. She wore the Bowed-Band dress, a round-neck sleeveless evening shift dress adorned with a matching bow at the waist. Matching low-heeled evening pumps - a must for every proper young lady - completed her look. Earrings and a clutch finished her look. And with her hair fashionably worn up, Shelley looked every inch a proper young lady of the 1960s.

Shelley in a spread
for the Sears Spring Through Summer 1967 catalog